- Pufferfish cuisine
- Exclusive Ama seafood cuisine - Grilled abalone and lobster
- Traditional unagi cuisine
- Izakaya cuisine
- Deluxe kaiseki crab cuisine
Overview and verdict: This was my second time with Apple Vacations tour, having been to Hokkaido and Tokyo the last time in the early summer of 2016. I made a series of blog posts for the tour then, which you can find here. The tour was fully booked and there were close to 40 of us altogether. I found myself underwhelmed with the quality of some of the meals. It's difficult to overlook the standards of the places we visited when the tour was marketed as a culinary experience. Additionally, we had to rush through certain destinations, which was another letdown. I had high hopes since the last tour was a really great experience. Despite these shortcomings, I must commend the professionalism and helpfulness of our tour leader and tour guide from Apple, especially since we were travelling with prams and a wheelchair.
If you're keen on delving into the nitty-gritty details, I'll provide them below. We mainly travelled via tour bus, unless otherwise noted.
DAY 1
NIGHT FLIGHT TO KANSAI
Our journey began with a full MAS flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kansai Airport. The flight departed at 10pm+, but alas, we faced some delays due to traffic at the KLIA - approximately 20 to 30 minutes. While I've never had trouble sleeping on flights before, this time was an exception. The aircraft lights were kept on for the majority of the flight, making it almost impossible to catch some shut-eye unless you had an eye mask or could ignore the glaring lights. Furthermore, service time was significantly longer compared to our return flight, leaving me with at most an hour or two of sleep.
DAY 2
IMMIGRATION AT KANSAI AIRPORT
Our journey continued as we arrived at Kansai Airport in the early morning, where some COVID-19 restrictions were still in effect. To ensure a smooth entry into Japan, our tour leader ensured that completed all necessary paperwork through the 'Visit Japan Web' platform prior to departure. While the process was fairly seamless, it took us about an hour to clear immigration and customs.
Unfortunately, our first glimpse of Japan this time was rather lacklustre. The weather was gloomy with a drizzle, and to add insult to injury, some of our fellow travellers were running late. As it turns out, someone had left something on the aircraft, causing a delay.
My optimism regarding the weather was misplaced, as the gloom persisted throughout the day. To make matters worse, I made a rookie mistake by not taking my umbrella out of my checked-in luggage, which was stowed away on the tour bus. By the time I realised my blunder, it was too late and we had to make our way without it. To remedy the situation, we were forced to purchase new umbrellas - but at least they looked pretty (they're transparent :D).
KIYOMIZU TEMPLE
Our first destination was the Kiyomizu Temple. As we made our way up, the steep and busy lanes of the Higashiyama District proved to be a challenge, especially under the persistent rain. Not the best of starts. And to make matters even more difficult, we had to navigate the slippery streets while pushing a wheelchair. But with a bit of perseverance, it's absolutely doable. However, it's worth noting that the climb up to the temple can be quite arduous as there are numerous stairs to conquer.
CHIONIN TEMPLE
The silver lining? The sun was beginning to show itself.
Lunch: Sukiyaki
As I mentioned, I was pretty disappointed with some meals. This one particular restaurant, located at a rest stop (if memory serves), left a lot to be desired. The slices of sashimi were subpar, while the pork slices were disappointingly tough. Suffice to say, I didn't particularly enjoy this meal, though we did manage to salvage the experience somewhat by grabbing a good deal on strawberries outside the restaurant.
Nabana no Sato
The weather forecast had initially predicted a gloomy day with scattered showers, but fortunately, we were blessed with nearly perfect weather conditions during our visit to Nabana no Sato. It turned out to be a fantastic day, and we also explored the Begonia Garden within the premises.
For those with a penchant for flowers, this place was a paradise of photo opportunities. The blooms were so abundant, it was truly a sight to behold.
Dinner at Hinotani Onsen Misugi Resort (3.7 stars on Google Reviews)
The dinner at the hotel was a full-course kaiseki, with the dishes served one after another throughout the night. While the portions were generous, the quality of the food was not as impressive as I had hoped. I've had better kaiseki meals before, to be honest.
The highlight of dinner was perhaps when the staff welcomed guests to join in the creation of glutinous rice cake, which was later served as dessert.
The hotel had an onsen, but I decided to skip it. However, if you're interested, it's available. The tatami mattresses were surprisingly comfortable, and the ventilation was better than at other hotels we stayed at. The only thing was that the room felt a bit eerie due to the lack of lighting. On the bright side, the hotel provided yukatas for guests to wear (just get them from the lobby area), and they were great for photo opportunities.
Day 4
Breakfast at Hinotani Onsen Misugi Resort
The breakfast buffets were a bit underwhelming and lacked variety, as we've come to expect on this trip. his was the only hotel that imposed mask-wearing. They even make everyone use disposable gloves. On a positive note, we did appreciate the addition of roe to the menu.
MIKIMOTO PEARL ISLAND
If you're anything like me and don't have a particular interest in pearls, you might still find Mikimoto Pearl Island fascinating. One of the unique draws of this place is the opportunity to witness "sea women," or ama, diving in their traditional white outfits. It's worth checking the schedule to ensure you catch one of these demonstrations during your visit. Just make sure to check the schedule beforehand so you don't miss out.
Lunch at Ama Hut "Hachiman Kamado"
This part of the trip was the real standout for me. The ama culture is absolutely fascinating, especially when you consider that the number of divers is rapidly declining and most of them are in their golden years. We had the privilege of meeting a 92-year-old ama diver, which was truly remarkable.
It's a rare opportunity to be in the company of ama, and I am grateful for the chance to witness their enduring work ethic and hospitality. Despite their advancing years, these women work tirelessly and welcome visitors with open arms. While some locals may be wary of tourism, the ama are anything but. That, and coupled with good, fresh seafood. What's not to like? It's an experience that's hard not to enjoy.
ISEWAN FERRY RIDE
We were cutting it close when we rushed to catch the Isewan Ferry, but we made it just in time (phew!). The ferry was pretty cool, with buses and other vehicles being able to drive right onto it. But I gotta admit, the ride was a bit shaky and made me feel dizzy when I sat inside. Lounging around outside was a much more enjoyable experience with the added bonus of breathtaking views.
STRAWBERRY PICKING
Next stop: strawberry farm. Don't really have time to catch a break. Those strawberries were sweet enough that we didn't even need the condensed milk they gave us to dip 'em in. Since it's Japan, all of us felt confident enough that the strawberries were clean and safe to eat without any washing. Surely we wouldn't have done that if we were in Malaysia... or will we?
SHINKANSEN (BULLET TRAIN)
The Shinkansen experience was surprisingly smooth from start to finish. Some people on social media had mentioned difficulties finding lifts at the station, but thankfully we had a tour guide with us who made it easy. Boarding and getting off the train was a breeze and we didn't have to wait long either. Despite not running at full speed, the ride from Toyohashi to Hamamatsu (only 1 station away) was still a treat - a smooth and comfortable ride on this engineering marvel.
Unagi meal dinner at Eel and Japanese Uoka'-chan (May One building)
The place we visited was rated 3.5 stars on Google Review and I totally get it. It wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about either. It didn't leave a lasting impression on me. However, I'm thankful that we squeezed in a quick stop at May One department store before dinner, even though we had only 30 minutes to spare (which wasn't really enough time). It was our only opportunity to grab some treats, including the must-try unagi pie when in Hamamatsu.
Okura Act City Hamamatsu Hotel (4.1 stars on Google Review)
We made our way to the Okura Act City Hotel on foot from the JR Hamamatsu station. The view from our room was pretty sweet. Hamamatsu is definitely not a dead town, unlike some of the other places we stayed in.
We had some time to kill, so we decided to take a stroll around the area. But when we returned to May One, it was already closing. So, we were left wondering where to grab a bite to eat. But eventually, we decided to take a chance on a random spot.
トリノジョージハママツミナミグチエキマエテン (鶏のジョージ 浜松南口駅前店)
When it came to supper, we were unfortunately underwhelmed in comparison to the yakiniku we had previously. It could be the reason why this particular place only managed to score a 3.1-star rating on Google. Although the restaurant had an extensive selection of food, it was a bit daunting to decipher the menus, all of which were written in Japanese.
DAY 5
Breakfast at Okura Act City
The food served at the hotel's banquet hall just didn't quite hit the mark. In fact, it was so underwhelming that I didn't even bother taking any pictures.
As we made our way to Gotemba Premium Outlet, we caught a glimpse of Mt. Fuji from our bus. It was a fleeting moment, but one that left a lasting impression because it was only at this brief moment we were able to catch this elusive mountain that seemed to play hide and seek with us.
GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLET
This place is massive. We were given a few hours to shop, I came out empty-handed as did most of the tour mates. There were no sales, and from a quick scan, everything seemed quite pricey (I'm a humble peasant).
金時力まんじゅう (Kintoki-tei restaraunt)
See that thing on the bottom right? Apparently, this place is famous for that. It's the kintori chikara manjyuu (buns of rice cake). They also sell these as souvenirs but they were sold out. Unfortunately, the restaurant serving kamameshi meals didn't quite live up to my expectations. Despite the impressive portion and variety, the experience was a letdown. To add insult to injury, the food was served cold, leaving me feeling unsatisfied. Oshino Hakkai
It was pretty crowded in the main areas of this place. Unfortunately, it started drizzling halfway through our visit, so the sky looks pretty dull in our pictures. Also, it was only after we were back from the trip that I learned that we were supposed to be able to spot Mt. Fuji from this place. I'm so bummed.
There are tons of restaurants, souvenir shops, and food stands around the place. We didn't have much time, so we couldn't explore all the ponds. I found that everything here was pretty expensive, even more so than in Tokyo - probably because of how touristy this place is.
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